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Injury Report: Dane Coles fitness update ahead of clash with Australia
By Peter Hanson
New Zealand hooker Dane Coles is set to finally make his All Blacks comeback against Australia this weekend after a frustrating spell with injuries.
Coles missed four months of action with a head injury, sitting out the British and Irish Lions series before returning for Hurricanes' Super Rugby quarter-final win over Brumbies last month.
The 30-year-old was due to return to the international fold for New Zealand's opening Rugby Championship clash against the Wallabies last week, which they won 54-34, but suffered a fresh head knock in the 'game of three halves' against Taranaki and Counties Manukau and was ruled out of the Bledisloe Cup contest.
However, assistant coach Ian Foster said Coles – who last represented his country against France last November – is in line to face Australia in Dunedin after coming through training unscathed.
"He trained really well," Foster said. "He had a good week last week actually.
"He's come through [training] really well."
Sonny Bill Williams is also in contention to be selected after sustaining a head injury in the first match, an incident SANZAAR is reportedly looking into to see if medical officials should have carried out concussion tests.
Foster added: "Sonny took a knock at the weekend but he was symptom-free.
"The doctor has done what he always does when there is a suspicion of something.
"He was held back a little bit today so we could make sure he was absolutely clear but the signs are really positive."
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Look, we know contradicting opinions and wacky comments bring readers and clicks, so well done to RP for allowing always-wrong-Ben to say something here. However RP needs to put a disclaimer next to his comments for their own credibility. NZ was and is incapable of acknowledging their opp beating them. They refused so with Ire and with Arg in 2022 and also the Boks in 2023 x 2. Nothing Ben says here holds water, NZ attacked backwards, except when Kolisi and Kolbe was off And cyncialy took out Bongi, we played without lineouts for 75mins. Kolisi and Kurt-Lee almost scored twice. Thats 3 vs 2 for Boks, but the Boks opportunities was legal. Boks should have been 16-3 up by half time. Tacticaly the Boks attacked better defended better scrummed better (without a hooker) kicked better and crossed the whitewash more times. Boks beat Fr Eng Nz to win in 23, comeon give some credit at least. Even Federer Verstappen NY Mets, Mamoa, was able to see a great human sport achievement by the Boks and their DNA Boks #RWC27 !🏉
Go to commentsForget the 85kg bit, that can become something else. However I do like the one off test on ANZAC day idea. SR plays Fri/ Sat, test players travel Sunday and the squads have the full week together before playing Saturday. Rest of SR has a week off. Either involve women's teams in same location or in the other country and rotate annually. Herbert is right in that change is needed.
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